My guess would be to check an archive for the local newspaper around the date of death. I would assume that if there were an accident or homicide, that would not have been kept out of the news. A suicide might be more difficult to determine. Obituaries, unless they are famous people, rarely reveal the cause of death if it were suicide. If the police were involved, you'd think there were public records somewhere. Very strange that a vital records center would take the initiative to censor a cause of death unless there was civil action to require it. By the way, how long did it take Trenton to send you the certificate? I have them searching for a marriage record with an unknown date of marriage and it seems like it's taking them a long time. Fred Lauver ---------- > From: Tom & Natalie Coleman <tomnatalie@erols.com> > To: NJCAMDEN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Death Certficates > Date: Saturday, June 06, 1998 8:00 PM > > I received in the mail today a death certificate for the NJ Dept of Health, > Bureau of Vital Statistics. I had to send away because Camden said they > did not have a certificate on the person I requested. > > Well. My ancestor died in Camden, Camden County in 1940. The cause of > death is blanked out of the certified copy. However, I know there was a > lot of family secrecy surrounding this death and is therefore important > that I know the cause of death. > > On the death certificate there is a section that states: > > If death were due to external causes fill in the following: > Accident, suicide or homicide (specify) of course this is blanked out! > It gives the location of the death to be a public place on a lot on the > south east corner of 4th & Atlantic Avenue. > > Any suggestions on how to find out what happened that day??? Please my > curiosity is driving me nuts. > > Thanks! I hope to hear many suggestions from you all.